File holder



M r h 2 1961 J. J. LINSKEY ET AL FILE HOLDER m m m Y Y E A E E WK N IS R N 0 ME T .m M MW HE w m f Y B Filed May 10, 1955 United States FILE HOLDER John J. Linskey and Eugene H. Call, Akron, Ohio, assignors to J. William Freeman, Akron, Ohio t Filed May 10, 1955, Ser. No. 507,259

3 Claims. or. 29-80) First, these file holders were normally unable to exert,

suificient clamping pressure between the file holder and the file to safely retain the file with respect to the holder, with the result that the holder of the file would oftentimes slip or. suddenly shift its position on the file being held,

so as to result in injury to the hands of the person using the device.

, A second disadvantage of the known type of prior art file holders relates to the fact that the same are normally incapable of being effectively used on more than one size of file or rasp, due to the fact that the clamping action thereof is effective over only a small and narrow range of.

vertical heights. This disadvantage becomes even more apparent when the user of the known prior art device attempts to use such a holder on a rasp or file that is provided with a cylindrical tang instead of the normal type of flat tang that is found on the majority of file or rasp members. This limited field of application has generally minimized the value of the known prior art devices.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an improved type of file or rasp holder that is characterized by the presence of a positive locking action therein that operates to firmly fix the holder with respect to the file or rasp that the same is holding.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a file or rasp holder that possesses a clamping action that is not pressure supplied by dependent upon the hand gripping the user thereof.

jlt isa still further object of this invention to provide widevariety of sizes and shapes of tang members.

These and otherobjects of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following brief file holder of this invention in the open or unclamped Figure 4is an end elevation taken on the lines 4--4 of Figure 2.

1 Figure 5 is a view-taken on lines 55 of Figure 3. QFigureG is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Such prior art devices as are now Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating a still further modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular, to Figure 1 thereof, the improved file holder, generally designated as 10, is shown positioned in clamping contact around the tang T of a file P, so as to suspend the flat filing surface thereof over a work surface (not shown).

The file holder 10 per se, is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings as including a hollow body section 11 that pivotally supports a swingable clamping lever 12, so that movement of this lever 12 from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 3 operates to clamp the tang T with respect to the body portion 11, in a manner to be described.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the body 11 is of two-piece construction, wherein. mating body sections 13 and 14 are each formed with complemental' cavities that coact, upon abutment about parting line 15 to define the hollow body 11. This body 11 is further defined by a hollow rectangular base 16 that communicates, through opening 17, with hollow handle 18, the arrangement being such that boss members 12, 19a that are provided respectively on the sections 13 and 14 cooperate with bolt 20 to retain these body sections 13 and 14 in the abutting condition of Figure 1. Additionally,

. a connecting pin 21 serves as a point of pivotal support for the lever 12, while simultaneously supplementing the retention of the sections 13 and 14 in the abutted condition of Figure 1.

To the end of facilitating gripping of the handle 18, the front surface thereof is shown provided with a series of finger rests 18a, 18a that permit the user to position his fingers therein so as to more firmly grip the handle member 18. By like token, the back surface thereof is shown slotted as at 18b, so as to permit reception therethrough of the lever 12 upon pivotal movement of the same about the pin 21.

For the purpose of receiving the tang T interiorly of the base 16, the central cavity 16a thereof is shown communicating with the external surface of the base 16 through opposed rectangular slots 22, 22 that are illustherethrough of the tang T when it is desired to insert the same in the base 16 for subsequent use therewith.

The base 16 further includes a bottom wall 16b that V has spaced rectangular slots 23, 23 provided therethrough for reception ofthe flanged ends 24a, 24a of a resilient cushioning pad 24. This cushioning pad 24 is shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings as having a main body section, the thickness of which presents the top surface a fil'e' or rasp holder ,that can be utilized to firmly and; securely clamp, without modification or adjustment, a

24b thereof in a horizontal plane that is elevated above the supporting surface provided on the spaced slots 22, 22. In this manner, the tang T, upon insertion through slots 22, 22 will rest upon the elevated resilient surface 24b; and this surface (24b) will operate to cushion the tang T during the period that the same is clamped by lever 12, in a manner to be subsequently described. It is mainfest in this regard, that the surface 24b could be roughened if desired, to provide more effective gripping ment of the handle end 30 thereof about the pin 21 will operate to move a cam surface 31 thereof into initial contact with the tang T that has been positioned on the surface 24b of cushioning pad 24, as shown in Figure 2 v of the drawings. The cam surface 31 is shown as being fiat, with the result that the same, when positioned as 7. shown in Figure 3, will be incapable of being disengaged PatentedMar. 21, I961 tionally, the cam surface 31 is defined by the contour edge 30b of the lever 12, with the result that the point 30c thereof defines the extreme distance of cam surface.

31 from pivot point 21. In this manner, when the lever 12 is moved from Figure 2 to Figure 3, the surface 31 will, in effect, snap into contact with the tang T, with the pad 24 cushioning such action as has just been described. During this period of fully engaged contact between tang T and surface 31, it is manifest that slipping will be obviated by virtue of the force exerted by the compressed cushioning pad 24, with the result that the tang T will be firmly positioned with respect to the holder 10.

In use or operation of the improved file holder 10, the user merely inserts the tang T through the horizontally aligned openings 22, 22 so that the under surface thereof rests against the surface 24b of cushioning pad 24. With the tang. T in the position just described, the lever 30 may be moved to the position of Figure 3, with the result that the cam surface 31 will be brought into clamping contact with the upper surface of the tang T, to thus firmly clamp the tang T and file F with respect to the holder 10. As previously described, the handle 30 will be retained in the position of Figure 3 without the exercise of gripping pressure by the user, in view of the fact that the cam surface 31 has been snapped into place as a result of pivoting point 300, and accordingly, accidental dislodging from contact with tang T will be obviated. At this point, the user merely grasps the handle 18 and positions his fingers in the finger rests 18a, 18a, and the file may now be used in known manner.

When it is desired to remove the file F from the holder 10, the user merely pivots the lever 12 to the position of Figure 2, at which time the tang T and the file F may be easily Withdrawn from the apertures 22, 22 and a new file inserted therein.

It will be seen from the preceding paragraphs that there has been provided a new and improved type of file holding device, characterized by an effective and positive locking action that is not susceptible to accidental dislodging during normal usage.

It has been further shown how the use of a resilient cushioning pad serves the dual function of increasing the clamping pressure, while permitting insertion of tang members of various sizes and configurations; all of which can be fixedly retained with respect to the holder without changing or modifying the same.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings is similar in many respects to that form of the invention illustrated and previously described in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, and accordingly, where indicated, like parts are indicated by like numerals.

The distinguishing feature of this modified form of the invention lies in the inclusion therein of a clamping block 40 that is received within the aperture 17, vso that the surface 41 thereof will contact the tang T in clamping relationship. Such clamping contact is obtained when the surface 42 of block 40 is forced downwardly as a result of its contact with the cam surface 31 of the lever 12. An annular rib 42 prevents the block 40 from passing through the aperture 17 when the cavity 16a is not occupied by tang T; and similarly, the frontal edge portion 44 thereof is shown chamfered as at 45', so as to permit the tang T to raise the block 40 upon insertion of the tang T through the apertures 22, 22.

The operation and use of this modified form of the invention is similar to that form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings; and accordingly, the user of this modified form of the invention merely inserts the tang through the opening 22 of the hollow base 16, and as the free end of the tang T is moved inwardly into the cavity 16a, the same will contact the chamfered surface 45 and cause the block 40 to be raised tothe position shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Further continued horizontal movement of the tang T will result in the same being passed through the second spaced aperture 22, at which time the undersurface of the tang T will rest on the surface 24b of the cushioning pad 24. At this time, the lever 12 may be moved so that the cam surface 31 thereof cornes'into contact with the top sur- 7 face 42 of the block 40; at which time further movement of the lever 12 to the closed position thereof will result in the surface 31 being depressed into clamping contact with the top surface of the tang T (see Figure 3). The file may now be used as before, and when it is desired to remove the file F from the holder, it is merely necessary to move the lever 12 so that the cam surface 31 thereof disengages with the block 40; at which time the tang T may be moved out of the cavity 16.

The improved form of the invention shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, discloses a work holder 50 that is axially receivable over the tang T of a file F.

The holder 50 is shown as being of tapered cylindrical configuration, wherein a rounded closure wall 51 cooperates with an axially spaced, tapered body section 52 to define a cavity 53; an axial passage 54 being provided between the cavity 53 and the end surface 55 for purposes to be described.

To this end, the passage 54 is shown undercut as at 56 to define a seat for resilient pad 57 that is received thereon. The passage 54 further includes an axially extending access groove 58 that opens to the external surface of the holder 50 and extends, as at 58a, on the external surface of the holder 50 to provide a clearance slot for the clamping lever 60 that is pivotally carriedv on the pin 59.

For the purpose of clamping an inserted tang T against pad 57, the lever 60 includes a fiat cam surface 61 that is arranged to clamp the tang T between the cam surface 61 and the pad 57 when the lever 60 is moved to the full line position of Figure 7. It is to be noted that the cam surface 61 includes an extreme contact point 610 that represents an extreme distance from pivot pin 59. In this manner the surface point 610 will snap past the pad 57 when moved from the chain-dotted to the full-line position of Figure 7.

In use or operation of this modified form of the invention, the tang T is inserted through the passage 54 so that the free end thereof extends interiorly of the cavity 53 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. At this point, the under surface of the tang T will be resting on the pad 57, with the result that movement of the clamping lever 60 from the chain-dotted line position of Figure 7 to full line position thereof, will result in the cam surface 61 engaging the top surface of the tang T, so as to clamp the tang T between the cam .surface 61 and the pad 57.

In the preceding paragraphs, all of the modified forms of the invention above discussed have been described as being of hollow configuration, and have been further disclosed as being made of two-piece construction in known manner. It is not intended that this specification be limited to a hollow body of two-piece configuration, in view of the fact that a solid body could obviously be provided with the requisite slots and cavities therein. Similarly, while the cushioning pad that characterizes all forms of the invention has been described as being of resilient properties, it is to be understood that any material having inherent recovery properties could be substituted without modification of the disclosure of this invention; and further, that the pads could be retained in the body by the use of beads that are normally employed in stampings.

By like token, while molded plastic is presently disclosed as the preferred material for the various file holders as discussed in the preceding paragraphs, it is to be understood that other equivalent materials could be substituted without invention, and that such materials could either be stamped or cast or otherwise made as required.

It is further apparent that a second clamping holder of modified design could be used on the opposed free end of the file to permit the use of the supported tool for planing purposes, wherein two bands are placed at spaced points on the tool to steady the same during the planing operation.

Accordingly, other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof, or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool holder of the character described, comprising; a handle portion having a slot therein extending inwardly from an external surface thereof; a base portion, secured to said handle portion and having a tool receiving opening therein; a resilient pad positioned in said opening and having a flat tool receiving surface thereof restricting said opening; a passage interconnecting said tool receiving opening and said slot; a lever arm pivotally mounted in said slot and having a flat clamping surface provided on one end thereof to overlie said pad; said clamping surface being movable in said passage towards substantial parallelism with said pad upon pivotal movement of said lever; said tool receiving opening being defined by a central cavity that communicates with the exterior of said base through horizontally aligned, spaced slots each defining a support surface; the plane of said fiat tool receiving surface of said pad being elevated with respect to the supporting surfaces of said slots, whereby a tool received through said slots will.be supported on said flat tool receiving surface of said pad.

2. A tool holder of the character described, comprising; a handle portion having a slot therein extending inwardly from an external surface thereof; a base portion, secured to said handle portion and having a tool receiving opening therein; a resilient pad positioned in said opening and having a flat tool receiving surface thereof restricting said opening; a passage interconnecting said tool receiving opening and said slot; a lever arm pivotally mounted in said slot and having a cammed surface; a clamping block, shiftably disposed in said passage for limited projection into said opening and having a fiat clamping surface thereof overlying said pad in substantial parallelism therewith while another surface thereof is disposed in contact with said cammed surface of said lever, whereby said flat clamping surface of said clamping block will move further into said opening towards said pad upon pivotal movement of said lever.

3. A tool holder of the character described, comprising; a body portion having a tool receiving opening; a resilient pad disposed internally of said opening in releasable engagement therewith and having a flat tool receiving surface thereof projecting into said opening, whereby said opening is restricted; a passage communicating an internal portion of said opening with the exterior of said body; a clamping arm pivotally disposed in said passage and having a cam portion followed by a hat tool contacting surface; and means for moving said tool contacting surface of said arm into and out of close proximity and parallelism with said tool engaging surface of said pad, whereby said cam surface will move a tool received in said opening to compress said resilient pad, with said flat tool contacting surface of said lever being held in engagement with said tool by said compressed pad.

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